Journal

"Russia seized on an opportunity and took the initiative."

This is meant as a poetic book review of The Insurgents by Fred Kaplan. It is about how General Petraeus and others tried to advance Army doctrine by incorporating counterinsurgency TTP.

The military must be kept in conversation with the populace it serves or risk the rise of a warrior class unable to relate to or understand the public they are defending.

The purpose of this essay is to enter into an ongoing debate regarding the definition of an ended insurgency.

High-level language skills for Special Forces personnel are a requirement for current and future operations, but they are very difficult and costly to achieve and maintain.

Lessons from the Post 9/11 Campaigns: Small Wars Journal Discussion with General John R. Allen.

VSO incorporates aspects of a US sponsored insurgency by attempting to expand government influence and administration to areas under the control of an occupying power.

Cyberwar is War: A Critique of “Hacking Can Reduce Real-World Violence”

The Lieutenant Don't Know: One Marine's Story of Warfare and Combat Logistics in Afghanistan by Captain Jeffrey Clement.

There is no shortage of literature on Hezbollah’s history, ideology and strategies, but comparatively less addressing the group’s involvement in the Syrian conflict.

Conceptualizing Human Domain Management: Human Network Analysis and Engagement (HNAE) Operations

Joint Professional Military Education: Anticipating at the Speed of the Environment

Black Spots Are No Treasure Island: Land Tenure and Property Rights in Megacities

At a Crossroads: Flashpoints and Opportunities in U.S. Relations with the Muslim Brotherhood

Transnational crime and its associated transnational illicit networks pose a challenge to sovereignty and governance by fostering corruption and impunity.

Reflections on the Continuities in War and Warfare: SWJ Discussion with Major General H.R. McMaster

This paper analyses the concept of War Amongst the People proposed by General Rupert Smith in his book “The Utility of Force: the Art of War in the Modern World”.

A Civilian Expeditionary Force Defense Agency would promote creation of a readily deployable “Government in a Box” to meet contingencies.

SWJ discussion with Dr. Andrew D. May, Associate Director, Office of the Director, Net Assessment, Department of Defense.

The “Hidden” Power of Illegally Armed Groups in Latin America: Mexico a Case Study

Understanding the Sea: The Practical Application of Census Operations as a Primary Tool for the Platoon-Level Counterinsurgent

The Trusted Shadow and Trojan Horse of the United States Government: Human Behavior and the Insider Threat

The importance of “trust” as a unifying force in military organizations and their battlefield operations is often hidden behind a ‘vale of obviousness’ and given second order attention.

This essay is the first in a series exploring the issue of drug-related violence in Mexico.

SWJ Book Review - Hunting Che:  How a U.S. Special Forces Team Helped Capture the World’s Most Famous Revolutionary.

The intention of this essay to argue that radical individuals and groups are not the product of perennial characteristics of Islam.

Since the end of World War II, the employment of the U.S. military has been linked to Middle Eastern oil and its exportation lanes.

Observations from the field say “yes”.

Interaction among foreign forces and local farmers was perhaps never more important for mission success than in Afghanistan over the course of OEF.

As a result of many decades of advocacy and fighting for justice, it is clear that in order to achieve the best outcome, no mechanism can do so in isolation.

The Defense Innovation Imperative: A Prescription for Preserving and Formalizing Rapid Technology Innovation in the Department of Defense

BACRIM in Colombia: Security Micro-Ecosystems and Violent Non-State Actor Fragmentation

A man, a myth, and a Hollywood epic, Thomas Edward Lawrence has served as a theoretical touchstone for generations of professional soldiers.

Co-Existence, Co-Ordination, and Crowding Out: Examining the Interrelation Between Nonviolent and Armed Resistance Movements

Once the heart of a bustling Islamic maritime trade the Horn of Africa is now wrought with war, drought, famine, and violent political decay.

This essay focuses on a set of highly advanced technological inventions used for transporting and delivering narcotics.

Responding to Crimea by Bolstering NATO’s Military Presence in Central and Eastern Europe: SWJ Discussion with A. Wess Mitchell.

While it may be convenient to write off "spoilers" as intractable enemies of peace to be dealt with solely by coercive force, there do exist possibilities for their integration.

This is a follow-up companion piece to the Small War Journal article ‘Give Carl von Clausewitz and the Center of Gravity a Divorce’ July 2, 2013.

The Royal Road: A Mission-Oriented Service for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict

One More Thought on Unconventional Approaches to Dealing with al Qaeda: If the Afghans Kick Us Out, Let’s Hire the Haqqanis

Thrilla in Minnesota: Al-Shabaab vs. The Somali Diaspora

People do not live in history, they live in the narrative. Nowhere is this truth more evident than between three countries in East Asia.

Most aviators and intelligence professionals agree that something about tactical aviation intelligence just isn’t working.

Radical Islamic Terrorism: An Evolving and Enduring Threat

Mexican Cartel Op-Ed No. 8: Will Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera be tried in Mexico or the United States?

Water Tensions in Africa: Assisting our African Partners in Developing a Riverine Operations Capability

Reforming Property Laws in Post-Conflict Societies - Case Study: Afghanistan

Colombian Cartel Tactical Note #1: The Evolution of ‘Narco-Submarines’ Engineering

As many analysts searched for what our Army must do for America, they envisioned their answer as finding the Holy Grail or a golden nugget. Instead they should have been looking for a fabric.